Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+

Dismissal

A dismissal is the termination of an individual's employment by the employer. Employees have a right not to be unfairly dismissed from employment.

Before dismissing an employee, employers need to make sure that they have a potentially fair reason. The five potentially fair reasons for dismissal are: capability or qualifications; conduct; redundancy; where continued employment would contravene the law; and “some other substantial reason”.

A dismissal can also be constructive, where an employee resigns in response to his or her employer's breach of contract.


    • Absence
    • Employee relations
    • Employment law

    Man spotted in pub during sick leave was unfairly dismissed

    by Adam McCulloch 9 Jun 2021
    by Adam McCulloch 9 Jun 2021

    Tribunal decides investigation of man spotted out drinking while off work with illness was flawed.

    • Fire and rehire
    • Acas
    • Latest News

    Acas launches guidance to dissuade fire and rehire misuse

    by Ashleigh Webber 8 Jun 2021
    by Ashleigh Webber 8 Jun 2021

    Acas publishes further guidance around negotiating changes to staff contracts in response to concerns about ‘fire and rehire’ practices.

    • Employment law
    • Health and safety
    • Latest News

    Protection from detriment in health and safety cases extended to workers

    by Ashleigh Webber 26 May 2021
    by Ashleigh Webber 26 May 2021

    The draft Employment Rights Act 1996 (Protection from Detriment in Health and Safety Cases) (Amendment) Order 2021 comes into force on 31 May 2021.

    • Fire and rehire
    • Employee relations
    • Employment law

    Unions and MPs urge action on ‘fire and rehire’

    by Ashleigh Webber 7 May 2021
    by Ashleigh Webber 7 May 2021

    A letter signed by unions and 140 MPs and Lords urges the government to use next week's Queen's Speech to announce legislation banning 'fire and rehire' tactics.

    • Latest News
    • Education
    • Education - further and higher

    Lecturer’s dismissal for failing to complete PhD ‘unfair’, tribunal rules

    by Ashleigh Webber 5 May 2021
    by Ashleigh Webber 5 May 2021

    The University of Hudderfield's decision to dismiss a lecturer with mental health worries was "wholly unreasonable", a tribunal has found.

    • Coronavirus
    • Employee relations
    • Dispute resolution

    End of furlough will lead to spike in tribunals

    by Jo Faragher 5 May 2021
    by Jo Faragher 5 May 2021

    Employers could see a surge in tribunal claims when the furlough scheme ends in September, according to a study.

    • Bullying and harassment
    • Disability discrimination
    • Disability

    Worker with cancer sacked on the spot awarded £2.5m pay out

    by Ashleigh Webber 30 Apr 2021
    by Ashleigh Webber 30 Apr 2021

    Man who was sacked following terse emails has received a pay out for unfair dismissal, unfavourable treatment and disability-related harassment.

    • Fire and rehire
    • Employee relations
    • Latest News

    Crunch time for British Gas engineers to agree new contract terms

    by Ashleigh Webber 14 Apr 2021
    by Ashleigh Webber 14 Apr 2021

    Today is the final day that British Gas engineers can agree to new terms and conditions or face dismissal.

    • Case law
    • Coronavirus
    • Health and safety

    Covid-19: Parent fairly dismissed after refusing return to work

    by Jo Moseley 14 Apr 2021
    by Jo Moseley 14 Apr 2021

    An employee refused to return to the workplace because he believed his workplace posed a danger to his children. What are the ramifications of the case?

    • Case law
    • Bullying and harassment
    • Discipline

    Firefighter who called gay colleague ‘half a man’ wins £12k pay out

    by Ashleigh Webber 7 Apr 2021
    by Ashleigh Webber 7 Apr 2021

    A firefighter who called a short gay colleague ‘half a man’ has been awarded more than £12,000 because of the way his employer dismissed him.

    • IR35
    • Vaccinations
    • Latest News

    Top 10 HR questions March 2021: IR35, vaccinations and SOSR

    by Brightmine 1 Apr 2021
    by Brightmine 1 Apr 2021

    Our monthly round-up of what's worrying HR. In March HR's questions focused on IR35 reforms...

    • Financial services
    • Corporate governance
    • Ethics

    EY drops appeal against whistleblower judgment

    by Adam McCulloch 30 Mar 2021
    by Adam McCulloch 30 Mar 2021

    EY has dropped its appeal against a judgment ordering it to pay $10.8m to a whistleblower who raised money laundering concerns.

    • Coronavirus
    • Latest News
    • Discrimination

    Whistleblowing protections to be reviewed amid dismissal claims

    by Ashleigh Webber 23 Mar 2021
    by Ashleigh Webber 23 Mar 2021

    Government will review whistleblowing protections amid surge in people claiming they were dismissed for speaking up about Covid-related issues.

    • Brexit
    • Right to work
    • IR35

    Top 10 HR questions February 2021: Vaccination and IR35

    by Brightmine 1 Mar 2021
    by Brightmine 1 Mar 2021

    Can employers insist their staff have a coronavirus vaccination? What is IR35? Last month's big HR questions answered by XpertHR...

    • Case law
    • Latest News
    • Dismissal

    Ireland appeal court judgment restricts use of injunctions in dismissals

    by Ashleigh Webber 19 Feb 2021
    by Ashleigh Webber 19 Feb 2021

    The country's Court of Appeal's judgment restricts the circumstances under which an injunction against dismissal can be granted to an employee.

Newer Posts
Older Posts

  • 2025 Employee Communications Report PROMOTED | HR and leadership...Read more
  • The Majority of Employees Have Their Eyes on Their Next Move PROMOTED | A staggering 65%...Read more
  • Prioritising performance management: Strategies for success (webinar) WEBINAR | In today’s fast-paced...Read more
  • Self-Leadership: The Key to Successful Organisations PROMOTED | Eletive is helping businesses...Read more
  • Retaining Female Talent: Four Ways to Reduce Workplace Drop Out PROMOTED | International Women’s Day...Read more

Personnel Today Jobs
 

Search Jobs

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2025

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2025 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+